Cloth-folding machine



March 28, 1939. F. M. COLLIER ET AL CLOTH-FOLDING MACHINE Original FiledJune '7, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l Emz/UMCZZ/ier 21 14010! JLu/mp/Ziru JhATTORN 2Y5 WITNESS March 28, 1939. F, M. COLLIER ET AL u 27,152,399

CLOTH FOLDING MACHINE Original Filed June 7, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Ezzn/Z'MCZlier BY awajf mr.

ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICECLOTH-FOLDING MACHINE Frank M. Collier and Ladd J. Lumpkin, Jr., RockHill, S. C.

3 Claims.

This invention relates to cloth folding machines and more particularlyto those types of machines wherein the sets of jaws for holding thecloth are alternately released to receive therebetween additional foldsof cloth during the folding operation.

This application is filed in lieu of abandoned application Serial No.146,938 filed June '7, 1937 and is a substantial duplicate thereof.

Heretofore, in machines of this character the mechanisms employed forreleasing or applying pressure to the jaws usually comprised numerouslinks and rods, which were operated by means of various cam and rollerdevices. Structures embodying parts and devices of this type ofmechanism were the subjects of innumerable adjustments and replacementsof parts, due to the fact that a very slight amount of wear on the partswould oftentimes result in the improper timing of the parts, thuscausing the mechanisms to function in an unsatisfactory manner.Furthermore, parts of this character were given too much vibration,thereby causing considerable hammering, chattering and jarring.Therefore, complicated mechanisms of this type required the services ofone highly skilled and specialized in the art in order to makereplacements and proper adjustments of the parts. The time required forreplacement and adjustment resulted in a considerable loss of time and,as a consequence, affected materially the production of the machine.

This invention overcomes many of these objectionable features anddisadvantages by eliminating a considerable number of the undesirableparts, substituting parts of a different character, arranging others ina different manner, and modifying the form of others. Therefore, it isone of the principal objects of this invention to provide means foroperating the jaws of folding machines which is simple in construction,eflicient in operation, and economical in maintenance.

Another object of this invention is to provide a mechanism for operatingthe jaws which reduces to a minimum the adjustment and replacement ofparts.

A further object of this invention is to provide means having partsrequiring little adjustment over a long period of operation and whichare capable of being made by the average mechanic in considerable lesstime than heretofore possible.

Still another object of this invention is to provide means, embracingthe various parts, whereby the so-called chattering, jarring andhammering For the purpose of illustration, there is shown a preferredembodiment of this invention incorporated in a typical folding machinewhich comprises a frame 5 having spaced supports E connected together byupper and lower cross members l and 8 respectively. The upper memberconstitutes a base on which is mounted driving mechanism having a driveshaft 9. Positioned on the base are oppositely disposed stationary jawsll intermediate of which is a vertical movable table H pivotallyconnected at opposite ends to movable jaws 12. The jaws l2 are mountedfor vertical movement on supporting brackets l3 which are adapted forsliding engagement in blocks M.

The machine also comprises a pair of folder blades I5 mounted uponradius arms 16, swinging around pivotable centers I! at their lower endswith said arms operatively connected by means of connecting rods IS witha pair of cranks I9 mounted on the drive or actuating shaft 9, wherebythe blades are reciprocated back and forth above the table. The bladeshave combined therewith slidable rods 20 working in guide sleeves 2i,which are pivotally mounted as at 22 in an elevated position uponupstanding brackets 23 rising from and secured to the base i. The saidrods 20 and guide sleeves control the movement of the folder blades l5in the well-known manner by causing the blades to rock back and forthabove the table ll, so as to cause them to act alternately in pushingfolds of the cloth C in between the jaws of the pairs of jaws at theopposite sides of the table.

In the machine illustrated, the jaws I2 mounted on the brackets [3, asheretofore described, are pivotally connected at the point 24 by meansof divergent connected members or links 25 to a bell crank 26. For thepurpose of moving the jaws l2 upward towards the stationary jaws [0,which causes the table to assume a slanting position for the purpose ofclamping one set of the folds of the cloth between one pair of jaws orreleasing the clamping action of the oppositely disposed pair of jaws toenable the blades to position another fold of cloth therebetween, thereis employed a source of pressure, for instance fluid pressure meanswhich comprises a cylinder 21 containing a piston 28 that is connectedas at 29 to the lower end of the bell crank 26.

Means for controlling the varying position of the pivot 24, which causesthe clamping action of one set of jaws and the releasing of the oppositeset together with the tilting movement of the table, embraces adepending rocker arm or pivot actuating means 30 movably mounted on thebase and having formed therein a slot for the reception of a pin orroller 3| carried by the horizontal arm section of the bell crank 26,the pin 3] adapted to slide within said slot for moving the bell crank.

Thus, any change in the position of the link 30 will, as a consequence,through the medium of the pin 3| and bell crank 26 change the positionof the pivot 24, resulting, due to the shifted position of the linksabout the pivot 24, in a clamping action by one set of jaws and areleasing action by the other set together with the shifting of thetable upon upward movement of the piston 28.

In place of the many links and rods which are provided with rollers forcontact with cams and the like usually used in machines of this type foroperating and controlling the mechanism for shifting the pivot 24, therocker arm is formed with a lower extended section 32 on which ispivotally mounted a sleeve 33 for receiving a connecting rod 34 arrangedto reciprocate over a predetermined distance therein. Means for limitingthe reciprocation of the rod 34 com.- prises sets of adjusting nuts 34threaded thereon and arranged with one set on each side of the sleeve33, as clearly illustrated in the drawings.

Fixed to the drive shaft 9 and rotating therewith is a sprocket 35connected by means of a suitable chain 36 to a driven element orsprocket 31 mounted on the lower cross member 8. At a point off center,the sprocket 31 is provided with a stub shaft or pin 38 which connectswith the connecting rod 38 and imparts a reciprocating movement thereto,which in turn causes the link 30 to oscillate, thus changing theposition of the pivot 24 for the purpose hereinafter described. Suitablesources of power, not shown, are connected to the drive shaft 9 andfluid pressure means.

From the foregoing it will be readily understood that the various partsare of such size and so connected and adjusted that they operate in apredetermined synchronized order which elfects uniformity in the foldingof the cloth.

While we have shown the invention as being provided with the sprocket 37for imparting motion to the connecting rod 34, the connecting rod 34could be connected directly to the sprocket 35 and function in the same.manner.

While the foregoing description of parts and operation of the same isthe preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood thatvarious modifications and changes may be resorted to without departingfrom the spirit of the invention or scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a cloth folding machine, the combination With a frame, foldingblades, opposite pairs of stationary and movable cloth folding jaws, anda source of pressure, of devices for alternately transmitting pressureto the movable jaws of the respective pairs of jaws and comprising apair of divergently connected members pivoted to said movable jawsrespectively, a crank pivotally connecting said members to said sourceof pressure, a rocker armv movably mounted on said frame and slidablyconnected to said crank, a power driven element rotatably mounted onsaid frame, a rod carried by said element and connected to said rockerarm for oscillating the latter to effect alternate movement of saidmovable jaws relative to said stationary jaws respectively.

2. In a cloth folding machine, the combination with a frame, foldingblades, opposite pairs of stationary and movable cloth folding jaws, anda source of pressure, of devices for transmitting pressure to themovable jaws of the respective pairs of jaws and comprising a pair ofdivergently connected members pivoted to said movable jaws respectively,a crank pivotally connecting said members to said source of pressure andformed with an angularly disposed section provided with a connectingpin, a rocker arm pivotally mounted on said frame and formed with a slotreceiving said pin for efiecting sliding connection with said crank, apower driven element rotatably mounted on said frame, and a rodeccentrically mounted on said element and adjustably connected to saidrocker arm for oscillating the latter to effect alternate movement ofsaid movable jaws relative to said stationary jaws respectively.

3. In a cloth folding machine, in combination with a frame havingfolding blades mounted thereon, means mounted on said frame foroperating said blades, oppositely disposed sets of cloth folding jawsattached to said frame, a table secured between said sets of jaws, apower device subjacent said table, an arm having a slot and pivoted tosaid frame, a lever connected to said device and having a pin operablein said slot, means pivotally connecting said jaws and said levertogether whereby to alternately apply pressure from, said power deviceto each set of jaws upon actuation of said device and said arm, arotatable element mounted on said frame, a reciprocating member pivotedon said element and engaging said arm whereby to actuate said arm insynchronism with said first mentioned means, and means carried by saidmember for adjusting the latter relative to said arm.

FRANK M. COLLIER. L. J. LUMPKIN, JR.

